SCP-3456: The Orcadian Horsemen Part 2

INCIDENT LOG I-3456-032

WARNING, ATTEMPTED ACCESS DETECTED. SCANNING FOR PROPER CREDENTIALS.

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CREDENTIALS RECOGNIZED, LEVEL 5 ACCEPTED

The following incident details an SCP-3456 manifestation in Fukushima, Japan, following the 2011 earthquake. Several Foundation reconnaissance teams were deployed, following the evacuation of the city, to assess whether or not the earthquake had been caused by an anomaly. SCP-3456 manifested in several locations during and shortly after the quake, resulting in 2,562 missing persons. Foundation reconnaissance personnel were not expected to encounter SCP-3456, as manifestations had ceased in the prohibited zone 64 hours after the majority of the civilian population was evacuated.

Incident Log I-3456-32

Foreword: Reconnaissance teams were deployed in squads of 4, with one member of each team possessing helmet-mounted camera equipment. The following log details the events surrounding Squad 3. 3 of the 8 teams were noted to have encountered SCP-3456; however, the cameras for Squads 1 and 6 were destroyed early during interaction with SCP-3456 entities. This log is a transcript of the audio and visual feeds between Squad 3 and Command. Other members were not subject to audio communications between Commander Bryans (who was briefed on SCP-3456 during evacuation efforts, but failed to encounter any manifestations) and the communications officer.

<Begin Log>

[The helmet mounted camera is switched on as the reconnaissance squad departs the helicopter transport. The street depicted both in front and behind the unit, as the camera swerves with the operative's head, is noted to have sustained significant structural damage, with many visible points where the concrete has buckled or split apart.]

Bryans: This is reconnaissance squad 3, Orange Leader. Command, do you read?

Command: We read you, Orange Leader.

[The feed turns to the left and right, noting two other individuals, each equipped with standard field agent equipment.]

Bryans: Mic check?

Lopez: Lopez reporting.

Chou: Check, check, is this thing working?

Byers: Reading you loud and clear, Commander.

[Bryans is seen pointing at the screen.]

Bryans: Command, is the camera in in Byer's helmet transmitting?

Command: We're getting clear transmission from the camera. Navigation is sending you coordinates. Agents Lopez and Chou have been provided Kant counters. Remember, any deviation from the norm is grounds for further investigation. Should you encounter an anomaly, radio in its location and containment teams will be deployed. Under no circumstances is your squad to engage an anomaly. From this point forward, communications with Command will be directed to you.

[For the next 10 minutes, Squad 3 moves through five blocks of damaged buildings and roadways, with no signs of anomalous activity.]

Lopez: Hey boss, my counter just got a huge spike.

Chou: Was about to say, my needle went all the way into the red for about three seconds.

[Bryans holds up his hand to stop; the reconnaissance members stop in the street. Byers moves slowly in a 360 degree arc as she attempts to locate the source of the elevated Hume readings.]

Bryans: Command, you got all that, right?

Command: We got it, Orange Leader. We're not picking up anything on the visual or au–

[At this point, Command noted the presence of a dull, rhythmic thumping noise. Intensity of the thumps indicated a distance of roughly 300 meters between the source of the disturbance and the camera's microphone.]

Bryans: Command?

Command: Please hold your position, Orange Leader.

Lopez: Boss, do you hear that?

[The sound is noted to have grown slightly louder, and decreased in distance from 300 to 250 meters away.]

Chou: Sounds like a horse walking on pavement.

[The camera begins another 360 degree arc as Agent Byers scans the surrounding environment. The noise abruptly ends after two minutes of continuous increase in intensity.]

[A crash is heard, and the camera swivels 180 degrees. Lopez's Kant counter can be seen on the pavement, glass shattered.]

Lopez: Holy shit.

Chou: Commander…

Bryans: Command, we might have a problem.

[The camera pans up from the Kant counter on the ground, and captures SCP-3456 standing in an intersection 200 meters away. The camera zooms in on the entity, and Command notes the translucent skin, and fused human torso in the middle of the horse's back. The torso appears to remain limp and motionless for approximately 30 seconds.]

Bryans: Command, believe we have identified the entity responsible for the quake.

Command: Negative, Orange Leader. SCP-3456 is not responsible for the earthquake. [The communications officer begins talking to one of the higher clearance reconnaissance Command officials] O'Donnel! We have an SCP-3456 manifestation!

Bryans: What? That's 3456? What is it doing here?

[The torso begins to move, slowly straightening into an upright position. Its arms begin swinging, damaging and or destroying several structures around it, and drawing Bryans' attention.]

Command: Orange Leader, Command has authorized a UAV drone strike. Move your team out of the street and into the high-rise two buildings to your left.

Bryans: Roger, Command.

[The camera focuses on Bryans for another five seconds as he turns to address the squad, before focusing on the entity. SCP-3456 has stopped moving its arms. The entity turns towards the reconnaissance team and it emits a loud vocalization for five seconds.]

Command: Orange Leader, get your team out of there! It's seen you!

[Bryans points to the side street, and the camera swivels in that direction bringing a large high-rise into frame.]

Bryans: Everybody move! Now!

[The camera begins to shake, and tilts down as Byers briefly looks at the ground, before returning to a level view. The feed swivels to the left briefly, and captures the approaching UAV drone, before swiveling to the right. The entity can be seen charging towards the squad, appendages reaching towards the screen. The UAV drone is seen as a blur by the camera, and there is an explosion, as the entity emits a wail and disappears beneath a cloud of smoke.]

Bryans: Did that kill it, Regina?

Command: No, George. It only slows it down.

[The squad enters the high-rise and begins climbing the stairs. The camera stops shaking as the squad stops on the 8th floor of the building.]

Bryans: Regina, why the hell is it here?

Command: [An argument can be heard between the communications officer and the head of reconnaissance. Other communications officers later reported that the debate pertained to whether or not the situation superseded the higher level classification of SCP-3456's documentation, and thus required full briefing of the team.]

[The screen begins to vibrating excessively, and the sound of SCP-3456 approaching the building can be heard. Bryans is seen directing the squad members to the door of a large utility closet. As Byers closes the door behind them, the video displays a shadow blocking out the light of the window.]

[The camera is switched, temporarily, to night vision by Byers. The camera vibrates four more times, before the sound of SCP-3456 approaching stops. The entity can be heard breathing heavily outside the window.]

Bryans: Regina, come in Regina.

Command: [The previously mentioned argument can still be heard.]

Bryans: God dammit.

Lopez: Wish we had a way to see what that thing is doing out there.

Bryans: We do have a camera.

Byers: I'm not sticking my head outside that door.

Chou: Hey, this is a utility closet, right?

Lopez: Yeah.

Chou: Byers, is there a broom in here?

[Lens turns to the left and a broom can be seen.]

Byers: Yeah, right next to you.

Chou: Toss me your helmet.

[The screen wobbles, and is inverted as Agent Byers removes her helmet and hands it to Agent Chou. The camera shakes several times, the click of a flashlight, and the sound of tape being torn can be heard.]

Bryans: We'll be able to see what it's doing out there. Good thinking, Chou. Whatever it is I hope it's fucked right off.

Byers: Innovative as always.

[The feed wobbles back and forth, and the sound of the closet door creaking open can be heard. Night vision is disabled as the lens begins detecting light coming through the window. The entities hands grip the side of the windows, and its face comes into frame from the left. Its eyes move back and forth several times. The entity breathes out briefly, fogging the lens of the camera. It emits a vocalization, causing the camera to drop to the floor. The door is heard slamming shut with the force of the vocalization. The entity lingers in the window for a moment, before releasing the sides, and disappearing from view.]

[SCP-3456's shadow begins moving away from the building and out of frame. The camera shakes, and is slowly pulled back into the utility closet. The camera shakes for 60 seconds before it is handed back to Agent Byers. Three minutes pass before SCP-3456 can no longer be heard. The other three squad members appear visibly shaken by the preceding events.]

Command: Orange Leader, is your squad still intact?

Bryans: Regina, what the hell is going on?

Command: You, and two of the other squads, have encountered SCP-3456. It wasn't supposed to be here.

Bryans: Supposed to be? The hell was Command thinking sending us in without confirmation?

Command: George, this line is being monitored.

Bryans: I don't give a damn! You put me and my team in a hot-zone, with a hostile entity that isn't supposed to be here. I need to inform them.

Command: You can't do that, Orange Leader. The security cle–

Bryans: Security clearance be damned, we just stared a demon in the face! You think I give a damn about bureaucratic procedures right now?

[10 seconds of radio silence pass.]

Command: You can't tell them what it is.

Bryans: God damn it, Regina.

Command: You can't tell them what it doesn't like.

[5 seconds of silence.]

Bryans: Are you talking about…

Command: Fresh water.

[15 seconds of silence.]

Bryans: That's helpful, Regina. What are we supposed to do, splash a bottle of water on it and watch it melt?

Command: George, if you get to the bridge over Arakawa, then it won't be able to follow.

[Bryans looks down at the display device on his wrist, which lights up.]

Bryans: Regina, the crossing is still 1.5 clicks away. We'll never make it.

Command: Give me a second.

[30 seconds pass in silence. Bryans' display lights up again, followed by those of the other three squad members. The video feed tilts down.]

Command: Your original route took you across the Arakawa, upstream at a narrow point. I've rerouted you to a closer crossing, at the river's widest point. It's about 1km out, and should take about 15 minutes, if you use the buildings for cover. A helicopter is already en-route.

Bryans: Roger, Command…what is the status of the other two teams?

Command: [Muttered chatter] We've lost contact.

[Bryans turns and looks at each member of the group before facing Byers.]

Bryans: Anne, I need you to poke your head out the door. Make sure that thing isn't out there.

[Perspective shifts slightly as Byers looks out the closet door. SCP-3456 is not seen.]

Byers: All clear, sir.

Bryans: Okay, here's the deal, folks. We got something out there that isn't supposed to be here. Command has our evac en-route, but we need to get over the Arakawa in order for them to do that.

Chou: Any particular reason for that? Why can't they just pick us up here?

Bryans: You saw what it can do. Command doesn't want to risk a chopper getting knocked out of the sky. That thing can't cross fresh water. The widest point of the river is 1km south. We stick to the shadows and move fast and quiet. That's all you need to know for now.

[Bryans is seen giving the signal to move out. The squad spends the next 15 minutes moving between different buildings. The squad stops approximately 50 yards from the bridge, a few meters from a large intersection. The frame pans from left to right in a 360 degree arc as Byers surveys the surrounding buildings. There is no sign of SCP-3456.]

Bryans: Command, we're 50 yards from the bridge. No sign of the entity.

Command: The helicopter should be on the bridge. Can you see it?

[Byers turns to the front and the camera zooms in capturing a CH-47 Chinook helicopter on the bridge.]

[SCP-3456 emerges from the street to their left, five meters ahead and turns so that it directly faces the reconnaissance squad. The torso leans down on the right side and both the horse and the human torso emit a vocalization. From the bridge, small arms fire can be heard and seen colliding with the entity's skin. Two RPGs collide with the entity along its neck to no effect.]

Bryans: Son of a bitch was waiting for us.

Chou: What do we do now?

[The camera moves down to Bryans, who pulls two canisters of stun grenades from his belt.]

Bryans: We run.

[Bryans flips the pin on the grenades and looks back at the squad.]

Bryans: Shield your eyes.

[Bryans turns and runs out in front of the entity.]

Bryans: Hey ugly!

[Bryans throws the grenades into the air and begins running forwards. Byers looks down to avoid the flash. There is a bang and the entity is heard wailing. Byers looks back up, Lopez and Bryans can be seen in front. They've nearly reached the bridge. The camera turns slightly to the left and Chou can be seen running alongside Byers.]

[The feed suddenly spins. Byers is level with the ground and begins sliding backwards. The camera lifts up and Byers can be heard screaming. Perspective tilts up and shows the entity's hand wrapped around Byers' left leg. Byers head tilts back to a more level angle, depicting her ascent into the air as she continues screaming. The camera stops moving up and focuses on SCP-3456's face, at which time it is noted to be smiling. The lens attempts to focus on something embedded within the entity's forehead and zooms in. A golden crucifix and a World War 1 British infantry helmet can be seen before the camera feed terminates.]

<End Log>

Postword: Time-stamps from visual footage indicates that SCP-3456 demanifested at the termination of the video feed. Agents Anne Byers and Louzon Chou have been declared missing and remained unaccounted for.